Virginia Opera offers free taste

MELFA -- Come for a free taste of the Virginia Opera's upcoming season from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, at the Eastern Shore Community College Lecture Hall. All are invited to hear Glenn Winters' multimedia presentation of "The Pearl Fishers" by George Bizet. With extensive use of video clips, voice and piano, the opera comes to life in the talented hands of Winters. His musical and dramatic analysis is geared to appeal to beginners and opera aficionados alike.

Winters, community outreach musical director for the Virginia Opera, has a rich background in performance and education. An opera baritone, he's performed a dozen principal roles and has taught piano at the college level. He is a published composer of many works including two commissioned operas for children.

This entertaining program, which is open to all, is a joint presentation of the Academy for Lifetime Learning and the Science and Philosophy Seminar. The Academy, a group of volunteers devoted to the joys of learning for all ages, launches its fall semester with Winters' lecture. Science and philosophy seminars are also volunteer-driven, and they describe themselves as an informally organized group, which meets more or less regularly to explore and discuss a wide array of topics.